ELIZABETHTOWN, Pa. — As the saying goes, it's not how you start, it's how you finish and the Elizabethtown College women's basketball team has strung together three straight wins heading into a pivotal stretch of its season. The Jays led most of the way in a 54-45 win over Susquehanna Saturday evening in Landmark Conference action. Four of E-town's five starters finished in double figures.

Neither side led by more than two baskets through the first eight minutes of the game, as it was expected to be a closely played contest. Elizabethtown (12-4, 6-4 Landmark) jumped out to a quick 4-0 lead on a pair of free throws by Taylor Alwine and Krissy Pennell's jumper.

Nikki Komara, who had a team-high 12 points for Susquehanna (13-4, 7-2 Landmark), got the scoring started for the Crusaders, as both teams continued trading baskets over the next few minutes.

While Susquehanna led briefly for a total of 37 seconds, Elizabethtown controlled much of the game.

Rachel Forjan drilled a three to put E-town back in front, then Andreana MacIvor knotted the game at 13-13 with 13:04 remaining in the first half.

Alyssa Aichele, Nikki Thompson, and Alwine hit back-to-back-to-back jumpers to send the Jays ahead by six, 19-13. The Crusaders pulled even once more at 23-23, but Forjan's fast-break layup and an Emma Hoesman jumper with ten seconds left in the half gave the hosts a 27-23 lead at the break.

Emily Martin did most of her damage in the second half, mainly at the foul line. She scored all 11 of her points in the second half, including seven made free throws.

Komara capped Susquehanna's first possession of the second half with a made bucket at 19:47, but the Crusaders would go scoreless over the next 5:43 while E-town took a two-point lead and extended it to 14 after Martin took an assist from Pennell on a pick-and-roll.

Elizabethtown was able to contain the conference's second-leading scorer Jonaida Williams for most of the game, but she managed to hit back-to-back treys to bring a little life into the Crusaders and cut the deficit back into single digits at eight, 39-31.

The Blue Jays kept their lead around eight points, but Williams hit a timely jumper and Angie Schedler sank a three-pointer that brought the visitors within just four with 3:08 remaining.

Free throws came into play during the final two minutes, and Elizabethtown did not shy away from the pressure. Martin sank five of her seven foul shots. Her fourth and fifth pushed the Jays' lead back up to nine, 50-41, with less than a minute remaining.

Martin and Aichele came up with two key steals leading to more E-town foul shots. Martin split a pair with the Jays up by five, but came up with the theft, got fouled, then sank the two ensuing free throws. On Susquehanna's following possession, Aichele forced Komara into a turnover before being fouled.

Alwine ended the game with a team-high 12 points and grabbed seven rebounds. Martin finished with her third double-double of the season, posting 11 points and a team-best 12 boards. Forjan also finished with 11 and added five assists. Pennell was the fourth Blue Jay in double figures with ten. Aichele recorded eight rebounds, four steals, three assists and a block to go with three points.

Defensively, Elizabethtown held one of the conference's top scoring offenses to its second-lowest scoring output of the season at 45 points, while holding the Landmark's top-ranked three-point shooting team to just 21 percent (4-for-19).

The women's basketball team will play one of its two remaining non-conference games on Tuesday, January 27, when they travel to face Dickinson at 7 p.m.